The Perfect Warriors
by WS
Summary: redone Rolana. The last territory. What happens when the Traveler is an outcast of society with a dark past? And when she's an experiment of Rolana's military government?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"We simply need the best scientists, the medical supplies, and a few merows to do this!" the man on the platform shouted. "We will live as kings! We will conquer the planet!" he kept shouting, speaking into a small, square piece in front of his mouth which served as a microphone. He was facing the large crowd gathered, all with political rank, and at the cameras broadcasting his speech across the nation.

One of the men in the crowd shook his head. "Why merows? They are animals! What could they do to help us conquer the world?" The man on the platform smiled grimly, glad to be able to make his point in such a way.

"That is the best part! We combine the DNA of our soldiers and of the animals. We will have super-humans! They will obey their superiors without question, the instincts of the animals, and their senses will be better. They will be stronger, faster, and they will be able to see in the dark as well as the light." A few in the crowd murmured uneasily, just as everyone in the nation did.

After a moment the crowd broke into shouts. Why hesitate? They would live as kings! Never again would they have to work for their living, or live on the streets. They would conquer the world. And all at the price of a few lowly merows.

Because merows were animals. Because merows were wolves on Rolana.

The people loved it.

"Then we will do it!" the man on the platform shouted.

More cheers.

His pale white eyes sparked with satisfaction.

_**Two Years Later**_

They had done it. They had created the warriors they had planned for two years. They had better reflexes, better senses. Their loyalty was more than just a few muttered words and contracts signed, but imprinted on their minds. And if one broke free, only a few movements were needed to set them straight, just like the wolves their DNA was combined with.

But something had gone wrong.

But they wouldn't stop trying.

There was one thing, something they never would have expected to happen in the least. No one had foreseen it. It was a shock to everyone who knew, but the Military kept it from the expectant public.

The warriors could shape shift into the animal they were bonded with. So far only merows' DNA had been mixed with the humans, but it was only a matter of time. Now the experiments, the humans they had taken and changed their DNA, could shift their form into that of a wolf, a merow.

They had all of the abilities of that animal in that form. They _were_ that animal. The only difference was their line of thinking. But as humans they only retained slight characteristics, the heightened senses and smell, abilities to feel others' emotions.

But for many, it was fatal. Their bodies couldn't handle the DNA reform. Many lost family members who had sworn their lives to help the country, the assist in protecting the nation that now abused their oaths and were killing them off.

Many of the people who both lived and died hadn't been willing. They had been stolen from their homes or barracks to serve their purpose at the labs, as experiments. Only a few were volunteers, trusting their leaders to do what was best for them and the nation. They didn't expect what had happened, and all regretted their decision.

Those who lived were tested even more, to find the differences between them and the failed experiments. Why had they lived and not the others? Was their DNA different, or was their body simply stronger?

They were all lab rats, and they knew it.

But two would not take it. They were the seeds of revolt amongst the prisoners. They were high-strong, free-spirited. They had been taken against their will, and they were planting hope among others who were the same way. They would cause an uproar; the prisoners would break free if they were able to keep it up. So the scientists put them into solitary confinement.

And the two were made to stay there.

"_Awreen!" the female of the two shouted. Her arms were outstretched as she tried to reach him. Some unknown force, a security precaution, was pulling them away from each other._

_"Lo-Lah!" Awreen finally broke free with one final wrench that made him groan with the pressure. He grabbed her arm and they kept running down the hallway, alarms blaring all around them and lights flashing. They avoided traps and finally reached a door._

_He carefully pushed the door open to find five guards waiting for them, weapons in hand. There were no guns, but they had knives and clubs. They were all well-disciplined, no sign of emotion on their faces or regret in their eyes. Only determination._

_Awreen snarled, ready to protect his mate, Lo-Lah, and his form became watery. A few of the soldiers blinked in shock, but they raised their weapons. Lo-Lah followed his example and shifted also, both wolves at the end. Awreen was jet-black, with eyes as silver as moon reflected on the water, and Lo-Lah was a timber-wolf with amber eyes._

_They were smaller, stronger, swifter, more agile. Awreeen rushed at the soldiers, faking a strike of claws at one of the soldiers. When another came to block him, he bit the other instead, Blood poured from the deep gash as the man fell, unable to move with his wounded leg._

_Lo-Lah swiped her claws at another. The man fell, the back of his head open from the force of her blow. Three were left standing, and though they hesitated, they didn't back off. One swiped at Awreen, who dodged the blow and ran to his mate's side. They bared their teeth as they slowly took a step backward, towards the now-unguarded gate._

_The men realized their folly and rushed to protect their post, but it was too late. The half-breeds turned around and ran through as swiftly as their legs would carry them, fur rustled by the whipping wind and ears laid back as they tried to gain speed to get away from their pursuers._

_They turned left, to the hardest terrain. They could handle it, but knew that the guards wouldn't be able to. They ran so fast over the rocks they seemed to be flying. Their paws only hit the dirt below them slightly before going forward again, and so there was no fear of tripping. Neither looked back, knowing it would do no good._

_Finally they stopped. They were miles from the guards by now, and that was if they were even being pursued. Together they shifted back to human form, not all that tired, though they were thirsty. But nothing took away the joy of knowing what they had just done._

_"We did it," Lo-Lah said, voice riddled with excitement._

_"We did," he confirmed, a grin on his handsome features. He could barely believe it. They were free. They had gotten away. Now and forever, they would never be locked in a cage again. Never. He wouldn't allow it._

_But they were freaks now, half-breeds. In human form, they looked no different than anyone else, but there was a difference now and they knew it. They went to their home city anyway, to see if they would be accepted again. But when they saw their friends, talking and laughing and having seemed to have forgotten them already, they knew they couldn't. The military hadn't only taken their DNA away, but their homes and family._

_They were on the run from the government. They were outcasts of society. They went into hiding, not telling anyone of their whereabouts. There was most likely no one interested except for the military pursuing them every step of the way._

_They visited the town now and again, to check on their friends. They never had any contact, though, for they couldn't. It would put their freedom and, possibly, their lives, in danger._

_They were, literally, lone wolves from then on._

_So much for the perfect warriors._


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

The doorbell rang. Mark put down the latest journal from Bobby Pendragon and looked at Courtney. She shrugged and gestured for him to get it; it was his house, after all. His parents were away, at work; it may have been a Saturday, but his parents' job kept them from coming home very often.

He opened it, curious as to who might have come. There was no one from school who he knew that would, and he didn't think they had ordered anything. It took all of his self-control to keep his jaw from dropping at what he saw.

The girl on his doorstep raised a slender eyebrow, abnormally pale skin almost glowing in the sunlight. She had hair so black it seemed blue that seemed to have been cut months before and then left to grow wild down to her shoulders. She had sharp features, more handsome than beautiful, and a slender frame. It took him a moment to recognize the navy blue tank top and ripped jeans she was wearing as the clothing Courtney had left at the flume.

She was a Traveler.

He was shocked speechless. Courtney sighed and, rolling her eyes, pushed past him. She hadn't noticed what he had. "Who are you?" she asked, lips pinched. But it was easy to see she was tense under the scrutinizing gaze of the girl's nearly black eyes.

She didn't answer the question right away, but asked her own. "I assume you are Courtney Chetwynde and Mark Dimond?" she asked, with no trace of an accent. Mark gulped nervously at the authoritative tone she had.

She hesitated and then nodded. The girl said, "I have been sent by Pendragon. I have a message, though it should not be spoken where anyone could hear." When there was no response, she said simply, "May I come in?"

Courtney was surprised a moment, but then stepped aside. "Bobby? How is he? What's he doing?" she asked, eyes wide with excitement. She had gotten his journal about how he had fallen for Loor; but she was all but in denial. She didn't want to believe it, and simply stored it away as something Bobby had said without meaning it.

The girl walked in, gracefully. It was hard to tell how she could possibly be so light on her feet. She studied Courtney for a moment with an expressionless gaze before saying, "He was alright when I left him to come here. Allow me to introduce myself. MerowLo-Lah Awreen." She paused a moment, as Courtney and Mark winced, and continued, "Pendragon refers to me as Lo. You may also."

Infinitely glad she had a name he could probably remember, Mark nodded in greeting. "I'm—oh, sorry. You already know." He winced once again, obviously nervous. Courtney was going to have to tease him about this later on; he was nervous around Loor, too. Beautiful girls and a guy who had always been categorized as a "nerd" weren't a good combination for the guy.

Before he could do any more damage, Courtney spoke up. "So, uh, why didn't he come here himself? I mean, why would he send another Traveler to come tell us whatever it is he wanted us to know instead of telling us in person?"

Lo cocked her head ever so slightly. "He is prolonging the turning point on Zadaa with the help of Loor, the Zadaa Traveler." She waited patiently for their response; it might take a moment, she knew, from what she could tell of their widened eyes. This time Mark's jaw did drop.

"But—why? I mean—isn't he supposed to get it over with as soon as possible or something, so there's the least damage possible?" Mark spluttered. Still completely expressionless, the girl turned to him.

"He needed to give me time to relay the message to you. Saint Dane has decided his next target. You both need to be ready for the turning point on Second Earth." She glanced back to Courtney for a moment. "This territory is his next target, we believe. It would be best if you searched for what the turning point may be. Can you do this?"

Courtney nodded, squaring her shoulders, trying to hide her nervousness. "We've been waiting for this ever since the first journal!" she said, chin raised.

Lo's gaze was sharp. "I didn't ask whether you had been waiting; I asked if you are yet ready." The acolytes both gulped. No one had stood up to Courtney while keeping so calm in a long time.

After a moment Courtney straightened yet again, a new fire in her eyes. "How do we know _you're _not Saint Dane?" she challenged. Mark thought about glaring at her, but figured it wouldn't be good with Courtney's present mood. If she was indeed Saint Dane, why would they want to let on they knew, considering the bad guy would have no problem with killing them if it endangered his plan. Typically she wasn't so stupid, but he knew she had been caught off guard by Lo's last remark and wanted to get even.

The Traveler didn't seem disconcerted in the least; she still kept her lack of emotion. But it took her a moment to find a good answer, though she finally said, "You don't."

It wasn't what they wanted to hear. But considering someone who actually was their enemy wouldn't let them create their own ideas and would no doubt try to make them believe he really was who he said he was, it was probably safe to trust Lo…probably. Trying to avoid the awkward subject, Mark asked, "I'm guessing you're from Quillan? We haven't gotten any word about that territory yet."

She shook her head. "No."

He blinked, and his eyes widened, as did Courtney's. "You mean you're from the last territory?" she exclaimed. The Traveler nodded, still detached.

Before they could ask any more, she announced, "I must return and meet Pendragon on Zadaa to help the others and tell him that you know." Without so much as a goodbye she turned and walked out the door.

Their eyes followed her as she went down the driveway. She put one foot straight in front of the other; that way, her body didn't sway from side to side as many did while they walked. It also added to how graceful she seemed. When she reached the sidewalk, she simply stepped with her left foot over her right and spun on her right heel to turn and continued away as if there was nothing unusual around her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lo looked at her surroundings as she walked towards the Sherwood house, where the flume was. Second Earth was amazingly similar to her own territory, though much less technologically advanced. She could only hope this world wouldn't make the same mistake as hers had.

Cars were on the roads, passing by now and again. She had seen things remotely similar on Rolana, but they had skipped such automobiles in their advancements and gone straight to hovercars. There were also a few people on bicycles, which she had never seen the likes of. Such contraptions had never been invented where she had come from.

After about fifteen minutes of walking she reached her destination. There was a rustle in the tree above her. She narrowed her eyes and peered up into the branches. A boy, about seven years old by his looks but small for his age, was watching her. He dropped to a lower branch where she could see him clearly.

"What's your name?" he asked, smiling. She raised an eyebrow; on Rolana children would never speak to a stranger, not even one their own age. It was too dangerous. Perhaps there was something good about this territory; she hadn't seen much before that would suggest Second Earth was going to end any better than Rolana.

But still she wasn't going to give anything away, no matter how innocent the boy seemed. Her keen sense of smell picked up a scent she didn't like at all, though couldn't quite place. Still expressionless, she answered carefully, "That is none of your business." It sounded a bit harsher than she had meant it to be, but what was done was done and there was no way she was going to apologize.

He watched for a moment longer, and then bit her lip nervously. He dropped to the ground in front of her, and took a quick step back. "Um, alright…." After a moment he squared his shoulders as if realizing how weak he had looked. "I'll leave now. You're starting to freak me out, man." With that sentiment he walked away. She noticed how he quickened his pace the farther he went. The boy was afraid.

Looking around to make sure no one was watching, she climbed the same tree the boy had been in. With ease, she made it over the wall using that to get to the top. There was another tree on the other side of the yard that was inside the gate; she could use that to get out, as she had earlier.

Now to get inside without getting seen by the quigs.

**IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII**

**NOTE**

**Sorry for the wait. I had completely written myself dry on other stories on here and and really needed a break. So I took one for a couple of weeks. I hope the wait wasn't TOO long for ya'll.**

**Thanks to: **Brigadier Major Sargantanas

**Please review!**


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